The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1887-05-24
cELrIc-sRITANNlc ACCIDENT.
Several Conflicting Reports Of the
ocean disaster.
Twelve People Lose Their Lives and
Twenty Are injured.
Bitter Complaints and Criticisms by
Some of the Passengers.

NEW York, May 23.--Both the Britannia
and Celtic, the ocean steamers which COLI
ded at sea, anchored at Scotland lightship
this morning. The Merritt Wrecking Com
pany is now pumping out the former.
There is suspicion that some OF the Brit
annic's passengers were drowned in the
broken compartment The question OF
where the blame of the collision should rest
is not easily determined. Statements COM
ing from those favorable to the White Star
company say that the fog was the cause
that all precautions were taken; and thatthe
| disaster could not be avoided. On the other
hand are statements from many OF the pas
sengers that the two steamers were going at
a dangerous rate Of speed. Statements re-
garding the fog signals are conflicting. Some
Of the passengers say the Celtic's whistles
were not sounding and others state the con-
trary. The officers of both ships are 10th to
speak about the accident as they all belong
to the same line.
Captain Perry of the Britannia, however
said this morning;
'It was dense fog and we were going at
half speed and whistling When we saw the
Celtic loom up through thofeg we were very
close, and Immediately ordered full speed
ahead hoping to clear, but we did not. The
Celtic was to blame in that she did not back
at full speed, for that would have helped us
to clear or at least lesson the blow, but there
seems to have been no alteration in the
speed of the steamer"
Capt. Irving, of the Celtic, was in charge
of the White Star steamer Republic when it
ran into the Cunard steamer Amonia in
Swash channel year ago. He has q good
record a g panfain He
"Shertly after noon on Thursday when
about 400 miles east of Sandy Hook we ran
into light fog. 1t gradually thickened un-
til It was impossible to see from the bow
to the stern of the boat. | reduced the steam
about one-half and began blowing the
whistle. Extra lookouts were stationed and
every precaution taken to prevent our COM
ing in contact with another vesrel. 1t was
little after 5O'clock, i think, when heard the
whistle of another steamer off our starboard
bow. 1t seemed at such a distance that l did
not think there was any danger, of our meet
ing. A few moments later the same whistle
sounded again, much nearer, L rang the bell
to stop the engines and Just then the Brit
annie loomed up on our starboard, apparent
ly trying to cross our bow. ! ordered the
engines stopped but it was too late and our
momentum carried us into the Britannic's
port side. At the same time our bow was
stove in and we scraped along the Britannica
side. A hurried examination showed that
passengers we prepared to assist the Britain
nic.'
Some of the steerage passengers say that
the dead bodies of those killed were disposed
in manner that lacked even the ele-
ments of common decency. They aver that
the sailors showed overheard the bloody
fragments of humanity just as they did the
small debris caused by the collision. The
statements are not very clear on this point,
however, the remains having been disposed
of when most Of tba na ON 0aro xvar o1tt IF
sight. The passengers also complain of the
inadequacy of the life boats and the difficult
ty. experienced in reaching life jackets
which were placed so far aft that had there
been any immediate danger many would
have been unable to supply themselves, and
the possibility of this great danger was not
very remote. for had the breach made by the
Celtic been two feet further forward the en-
gine and boiler rooms would have been
flooded.
j. E, Lucas, a merchant now at the Astor
House, was cabin passenger on the Brit
annie. He says:
"The firemen on the Britannia behaved
like wild beasts. About twenty of them
banded together and just as soon as the life
boats were lowered they sprang into them,
pushing the women aside. They came back
when the danger was over, but would not be
allowed to come on board. The ladies be-
haved heroically."
Another cabin passenger says that during
the panic a number of women in the steerage
took refuge in the cabin. Caste was laid
aside in this moment of universal danger
but when it was over the dead line, marked
by first-class ticket, was again strongly
drawn and the poor women were driven
from the cabin with blows and curses by
the stewards. The women passengers loud
ly condemned this brutality and suggested
memorial condemning the officers, but it
was suppressed.
The reports as to the number of lives lost
in the collision are very conflicting. Purser
Musgrave, in his official statement, covers
the number with the word several
A physician who made a close search, says
that seven bodies were buried and he is GER
tain that others were drowned and lost in
the confusion.
Rev. ID. Depuy, a cabin passenger, says:
After personal inquiry made on both sue
ceeding days in the steerage department,
where all the casualties occurred, believe
the list Of the dead embraces not more than
II, and that 20 were injured. All the casual
ties were confined to the Britanic.''
The damage to the Britannia will reach
$4,000, and that to the Celtic about $45, 900.
Both vessels went on the dock to-day for re-
pairs.